The weather is starting to get warmer (Slightly!) and the Summer holidays are just around the corner, which means now's the time to prepare for camping season! Whether it's a week-long family trip, or a few exhausting days at a festival, preparation is essential.
I've always loved spending time outdoors and I love being able to pitch up in a new place and spend a few nights in nature. Of course, when I first became a wheelchair user I was unsure about how I'd be able to camp again, and then losing my ability to stand/walk really made me think I might never get to sleep under the stars again.
But, a few weeks ago, I decided to brave it and head to Anglesey. So we packed up the car, filled up the tank and started the 3 hour drive to the small island, off the North West coast of Wales. We stayed at Bryn Goleu Caravan and Camping Site from Friday to Sunday on an electric hookup pitch. (Click the link to read the access review!)
Image Description: A large blue tent is pitched on the grass, in front of a red-bricked building. The porch door is open and the sun is setting in the distance.
#1 Tent
Perhaps this seems a bit of an obvious place to start, but choosing a tent as a wheelchair user is a tricky business. The photo above is the tent we took with us, on our most recent camping trip - a 9 man, 3 bedroomed, Vango Diablo 900. This isn't an ad, and I'm definitely not sponsored, but I can't explain how incredible this tent was; we had so much space to store our stuff, the bedrooms could fit a double air bed in and there was plenty of room to keep mobility equipment in the central living space, without it feeling cluttered. The only drawback of the tent, was that the threshold into the tent was too high for me to manage without someone stood in front of me, to flatten it down.
It might seem like I'm just going on about one particular tent, but my point is, you need to consider what's best for you. Everyone's needs are different, and when, where and who you go camping with, are all factors that affect what tent you need.
Things to consider when choosing a tent:
How much space do you need in the bedroom - will you be sleeping on a foam mat, campbed or an airbed?
Is there enough room to store any mobility equipment you need?
Can you get in and out independently, or do you need help?
Who will set it up - will you be doing it alone, or will someone else need to assist?
#2 Electric Hook-Up Unit
The joy of the electric hook-up is something I have only recently discovered, but believe me when I tell you it's a game changer. For our last trip, we borrowed a unit from a friend, after mistakenly ordering the caravan version instead. However, I have now invested in my own electric hook-up unit from Tesco, for £35 - I don't know if it was a bargain, but it definitely felt like one!
The electric hook-up simply made things more comfortable for us all. It meant we could easily pump up the airbed, whilst in the tent, plug the space heater in and charge our phones overnight. If you're a power-chair user, or use a power-attachment on your wheelchair, having access to a power outlet so that you can charge your equipment in the tent, is essential.
#3 Air Bed
Before my injury, I was never that keen on using an airbed when camping - I guess I that crossed the line between 'camping' and 'glamping' for me, so, I'd be happy to make do with a foam mat or something similar. However, now that I need to manage my pain and skin integrity, as well as the usual keeping warm and comfortable, sleeping on an airbed seemed like the sensible choice.
Luckily, a couple of weeks back, ALDI were selling double airbeds with a built in pump, and I'm a liability in the middle aisle of that shop, so I picked one up - this was one of the few times that my impulse ALDI purchases has paid off! As with most airbeds, they're prone to losing air and becoming softer, over the duration of the night; the benefit of the airbed I have, is that the built-in pump makes it super easy to re-inflate, after a good night's sleep.
I have heard some people prefer camp beds to airbeds, as they are a little firmer and more supportive. In my opinion, airbeds are less hassle to set up, easier to transport and make for a comfier night's sleep. When I've used camp beds in the past, they've been pretty heavy to move around, and take some time to set up properly. Worst of all, I've had them collapse underneath me in the middle of the night! Believe me when I say that it is less than ideal to be dismantling a broken camp bed, in the pouring 4am rain after a long night of drinking at a music festival; and this was before I became a wheelchair user!
#4 Warm Clothes
As well as staying comfortable, keeping warm overnight is also important for me. Like a lot of people with SCIs, I struggle to keep parts of my body warm (for me it's my legs and feet), plus, the cold can increase my back pain. We were fortunate enough to have warm, dry weather for our trip, but I still needed to make sure I didn't get too cold overnight. Obviously, the airbed was the first 'line of defence' against the cold, followed by my choice of clothing and then my sleeping bag. I prefer using a sleeping bag (keeping it open like a quilt) as they're easier to pack away and transport, than a standard duvet; plus, they're designed to be used outdoors, unlike the quilt on your bed at home. It's just about getting the right combination of clothes and covers, to help keep you cosy.
None of the clothes I wore overnight, were specifically designed for camping, or even the outdoors - they were just what I found most effective in maintaining my body temperature, at a comfortable level. I also want to stress the fact that to keep warm and comfortable, you don't need to spend 100s of pounds on specialist clothing and equipment. In the photo below, you can see my camping pyjamas - the hoodie and pyjama bottoms were from Primark and my bed socks were on sale in Tesco. It's about finding what works for you, keep an eye out for camping kit everywhere you shop (just to say, I'm not sponsored by Tesco or Primark!).
Image Description: It's night-time and Nash is sat on an airbed, inside the tent. He is wearing a black, Marvel hoodie, borg/teddybear fur, pyjama bottoms and grey bed socks.
#5 BBQ
If you're staying anywhere overnight, you're going to need to eat at some point, and by default - something to cook on/with. I've found the best think for me, is to use a firepit/BBQ, that sits about 50cm off the ground. In the past, I've used disposable BBQs or gas cookers, but those require me to be sat on the floor to use, and I find it easier to cook from my wheelchair. So, we took a combined fire pit/BBQ with us, that was the perfect height for me to be able to sit and join in with the cooking.
The fire pit wouldn't work for everyone, for a couple of reasons: 1. It's a big piece of kit, so it takes up a lot of room in the car and 2. Because of it's size and weight, it's difficult to lift/carry and not something I'd be able to shift about myself. However, it's worth considering the different types of outdoor cooking equipment and thinking about how you would manage to use it. Perhaps you're happy and able to sit on the ground and use a disposable BBQ, or maybe you're going to take gas stove and someone's going to help you with it? Whatever you opt for, make sure you're confident in being able to use it safely.
Image Description: This is the firepit/BBQ I use. The image shows a black, rectangle fire pit sat on gravel, surrounded by grass. There is a black and white, frying pan on the metal grill, and someone is frying bacon.
A Quick Reminder To Pack Extra Medical Equipment
This is more of a general point of advice, rather than being exclusive to camping, but packing extra medical equipment is a must. My thinking is this: if I run out of something like tent pegs or clean underwear, I can buy extra from a shop, but if the same happens with my catheters or medication etc, it would likely mean having to trek back home to get them. So, I find it's always best to pack a little more than I need, even if it has it's taken me a while to strike the balance between carrying a contingency 'just incase' and overpacking by weeks!
Final Thoughts
Having a disability might make things a little more complicated when you're thinking about and planning a camping trip, but I don't think there's any reason to let it hold you back. Of course there are some things you can do to make the trip easier, such as finding a campsite with an accessible bathroom or investing in some all terrain wheelchair wheels, so you can get around the whole site. But ultimately, I'm a strong believer in jumping into new experiences (with support from a carer or friend), because only then, will you know whether it's too much for you or not. If you're anxious about camping, maybe have a practice night in your back garden, or just book for a weekend in a campsite close to home. The most important thing is for you to enjoy yourself, so pack some home comforts, take your best friends and go spend some time in the great outdoors!
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